British pop star Lily Allen had some exciting news to share this week – she is expecting her first baby.

The 25-year-old and boyfriend Sam Cooper will welcome the new arrival next year after a recent scan confirmed she is three months pregnant.

Speaking to the Sun newspaper, Lily has said that she and 32-year-old decorator Sam, who began dating last summer, are "both absolutely delighted".

The couple – pals for many years – told their friends and family at the weekend.

Lily, whose father is comedian and actor Keith Allen, has made no secret of her desire to be a mum, saying back in May that she hoped to be pregnant by the end of the year.

"I'd want to be really hands-on for the first two or three years of having a little one," she said at the time. "I don’t want to leave them."

Lily has hinted heavily that she will be taking a hiatus from her pop career recently – she has been busy setting up a fashion line with her sister Sarah called Lucy in Disguise, and has also bought a country home, telling friends she wants to settle down there.

In 2008, the singer tragically suffered a miscarriage after becoming pregnant by Ed Simons from the Chemical Brothers.

She then dated DJ Seb Chew and millionaire art-dealer Jay Jopling before finding romance with Sam, who she has referred to as "the love of my life".